116 



Atavism. 



of the striped cockscomb or Cclosia 'varicgata cristata, 

 is traversed by longitudinal stripes of different colors, 

 yellow and red according to the variety. Dahlias how- 

 ever exhibit the most prodigal wealth of color of all 

 variegated flowers, especially those varieties known as 

 Fancy-flowers.^ In this case the color is in some way 

 connected with the amount of doubling, which often ex- 

 hibits sectorial variations and bud-variations at the same 



time.^ Striped Dahlias 

 give rise to these partial 

 variants sometimes very 

 rarely, but sometimes in 

 such abundance that a 

 good variety is often ex- 

 posed to the danger of 

 being lost thereby. In 

 most of the cases we have 

 to do with two types which 

 are manifested in various 

 degrees of association and 

 separation. Cases in which 

 more than two forms are 

 combined and which there- 

 fore may produce by bud- 

 variation two or more 

 types on the same plant, 

 besides the normal one, 

 have been described; but they were probably hybrids. 

 Central dissociation seems to be a very rare phenomenon, 

 but of Mad. H. Vourchy, a variety which usually has 



^ See Groombridge's Treatises on Florist's Flozvers; The Dahlia, 

 1853, and the extensive literature which has appeared since. 



' Vilmorin-Andrieux, Les iieurs de pleine terre, first edition, p. 

 340. 



Fig. 20. Papaver nudicaule. Yel- 

 low variety with dark orange 

 stripes. 



